The Chairman (Mr. BURGE), and Mr. W. H. GROSER, expressed on behalf of the Committee their appreciation of the kindness of the friends at Bristol, and assured them of their loving remembrance of the labours of Mr. Pratt in connection with the Sunday school work.

Mr. Barling of Staplehurst, Mr. Rogers of Manchester, Rev. Mr. Scammel of Oxford, Mr. Thomas of Bradford, Mr. Hall of Derby, Mr. Ridley of Newcastle, Mr. Lancaster of Manchester, Rev. Mr. Renny, of Colney Hatch, with Messrs. Brain and Terry of the London Union, took part in a general conversation with reference to the state of the unions respectively represented, after which a cordial vote of thanks was given to the Committee of the Union for the arrangements in connection with the Conference. The CHAIRMAN acknowledged the vote on behalf of the Committee, and the proceedings were then closed with prayer.

PUBLIC MEETING AT EXETER HALL.

THE Annual Meeting of the Union was held at Exeter Hall, on Thursday, May 6th.

Mr. GROSER (senior secretary) commenced the proceedings by stating that the Hon. Arthur Kinnaird, President of the Union, was detained by his Parliamentary duties. In his absence Mr. Wright, of Birmingham, had kindly undertaken to fill the chair.

A hymn was then sung, after which the Rev. Robert Robinson, secretary of the London Missionary Society, offered prayer.

The CHAIRMAN, in a brief but pertinent address, called attention to the changes now impending in the general education of the people. He said,—I think within a few years it will be no longer necessary for Sunday school teachers to give any portion of the day of rest to the mere elements of education. If I read rightly the signs of the times, I think many sessions of Parliament will not pass without an attempt being made to inaugurate a national system of education; and however we may differ as to the means by which this great object should be accomplished, it is surely a result which is highly desirable—that every child in this country shall know how to read fluently, to write legibly, and to do simple sums in arithmetic. We may not be agreed upon the point whether the system shall be denominational or secular; but we feel convinced that we can no longer go on as we are the opprobrium of civilized nations for allowing our people to grow up in ignorance. But when this state of things comes to pass will the work of the Sunday school teacher be superseded ? By no means; it appears to me that there will then be a far more important work devolving upon us. You will have keener, sharper intelligence in your classes; and unless this becomes influenced and sanctified by those great moral principles which it is your privilege to endeavour to teach-unless careful moral training be added to mere secular education, little, very little indeed will be done towards the true elevation and advancement of the population. Well, then, brethren, if this is to be so, there must be a great advance in us as teachers. There will be a much larger demand upon the intelligence of teachers, and they must be better prepared to teach in the future than they have been—many of them—in the past. Will the Sunday school teachers of England be equal to the

remove.

occasion? I verily believe they will, and therefore I look forward to a largely extended sphere of usefulness and a brighter future of success for this institution. I will not detain you longer than just to mention one matter which comes home to us all-I refer to the rating of our Sunday schools. We believe that Sunday school teachers are taxed in every respect equally with their fellow-citizens; they bear their fair share of the taxation of the country; they further tax themselves to build schools, and also to support those schools; and in addition to that they give up a portion of time in their own intellectual improvement to carry on those schools. But by a recent decision it appears that they are to be trebly taxed. If Sunday schools are to be taxed, the teachers will have to pay those taxes. I think this is an impost which statesmen, if they properly understood and rightly valued the labours of Sunday school teachers, would be in haste to I regard it as a mistake-morally, financially, and nationally-to tax those institutions which are seeking to make out of those who come within their operation better citizens, better fathers, and better mothers than they would otherwise be. If there is to be extra taxation, we say, Put it upon those places which help to degrade and demoralize. In the name of common sense do not dishearten those who are giving their best days, their most earnest efforts, their most self-denying energies to the work of diminishing crime, and making out of our boys and girls better men and women for the future. Now a word as to how this is to be done. I want every one present to feel that he or she can do something. See that petitions are signed not only by the teachers but by the congregations. And go outside your chapels amongst those who surround your schools, and you will find that persons of ordinary common sense will not oppose you. Recollect that the House of Commons is amenable to public opinion; and if you lay yourselves out for it you can bring the force of public opinion to bear your favour upon this question. You can write to your members of Parliament, and induce the influential members of your congregations to write to them also. Let the question be discussed in your teachers' meetings and in your private circles, and let every means in your power be exerted to obtain for your schools a release from this most obnoxious of imposts.

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Mr. GROSER read an abstract of the report of the Committee. (See page 254.) Rev. J. P. CHOWN, of Bradford, rose to move the following resolution: -

"That this meeting recognises, with devout submission, the hand of the All-wise Disposer of Life, in the heavy loss which the Union has been called to sustain by the decease of no less than four members of its Committee since the last anniversaryMessrs. J. B. Day, William Gover, Richard Mullens, and William Henry Watson, all of whom were distinguished for Christian earnestness and long-continued labours in the cause of religious education.

"Especially would this meeting place on record its deep sense of the eminent services rendered to the Union by its late senior secretary, Mr. W. H. Watson, whose long official connection, extending over a period of fifty years, was productive of the highest benefits to the Society, and through it to the Sunday school cause at home and abroad.

"This meeting would also bear affectionate testimony to the zeal, ability, courtesy, and devotedness with which Mr. Watson uniformly discharged the duties of is office; and while sympathizing with the Committee in the sorrow awakened by the removal of so many honoured friends and fellow-workers, would express tie earnest hope that others may be raised up to emulate their fidelity and perseveran e, so that it may be said as of old, 'The spirit of Elijah doth rest upon Elisha.'

After some preliminary remarks, the speaker said, -The resolution makes mention of several brethren who have been called from the councils of the Committee; and I know there is not a soul in this vast assembly but will appreciate that reference, and most devoutly and fervently join in it. While all these brethren are mentioned, special reference is made to one of the fournamely, our dear departed friend, Mr. Watson; and it becomes us at this time to speak of him as we may be enabled, so that we may have his memory embalmed in our recollection, learn the lessons it is adapted to teach, profit by the presence of our brother spared to us so long, and by his departure, which we are now called upon to acknowledge. When I remember that Mr. Watson was, as stated, for fifty years most prominently and most honourably connected with the Sunday School Union; when I remember that his presence was always looked for and always greeted upon this platform at this meeting for the many years of more than a generation past up almost to the present moment; when I remember that his services in connection with this and other kindred institutions have been known and gratefully appreciated throughout the whole Christian world, I feel that it becomes us to take note of the Providence which has spoken to us in calling him from our midst, and pray that God may give us wisdom to profit by the stroke, and seek the blessing which will make up for the loss sustained, in the more earnest and thorough spirituality and power of those who remain amongst us. I would like, therefore, just to mention and commend to the loving and earnest attention of all present what always struck me in our dear brother when living, and strikes me now as I look back upon his life, and that is the purity and power of Christian character by which he was always distinguished. I know how he felt his own unworthiness, as only the best must feel it, because it is

"The more Thy glories strike my eye,

The humbler I shall lie;"

but I say that exalts the character of the man, in my estimation, unspeakably, and shows the genuineness of the divine work and the reality of the divine power which dwelt within him. Now it is not always, even in Christian men, that we find all we desire in regard to character in this way. We find some at times who are very active and very clever; but we are ready to say, “Oh that there were more weight, and force, and power of character in them!" There is any amount of sail in the case of some, but they would be vastly better if there were more ballast and weight in the hold of the vessel. Now our friend had both these qualities. It was not merely that there was the foundation or the topstone, but there was both the foundation and the topstone, and they were both substantial and beautiful, as they ever should be. It was not merely what our dear friend said and did, though that was very much, but it was what he was, that made him such a power, and made him the blessing for which we now thank God. If I were asked to specify the special features of his character that I imagined would strike the mind most firmly, I should say the high-toned Christian principle which animated and inspired him in all he did. I should say, and I know it was so, there was eminent devoutness; "he walked with

God," and held communion with the skies. There was Christian cheerfulness beaming from his countenance, lighting up the atmosphere in which he lived, making his very presence like a living sunbeam wherever he was known. There was constant devotion to the "works of faith and labours of love" in which he was engaged. There was open-hearted generosity to which a worthy appeal was never made in vain, that gave largely of its substance, and always with a smile that was worth more than the gift. There were these and other features of character which were made manifest in our dear brother to which we need not refer, but we take them all as indications of the power and presence of the Spirit of God which dwelt within him; and I say to-night, God grant that those of us who are spared to live and labour a little longer may catch the spirit and exemplify the character of our beloved brother in the work in which he was engaged and in the world around. There is another thing which always struck me in our dear brother, and that was the many-sidedness of the life in which his character was revealed. I do not know that I ever knew a man who filled so many circles of influence, and who filled every one as though it was that for which he was especially adapted, and in which he took especial pleasure. In the course of his fifty years' connection with the Sunday School Union what varied claims there must have been upon his judgment, his tact, his patience, his ability, in many ways! and yet I venture to say it would be felt by those who knew him most and best that he would come to every one of those claims with a response which showed such an adaptedness of spirit and desire as to make it seem as though for this alone he had lived. We may look upon him as the editor in his library, serving God in that character. We may think of him as a member of your Committee, beloved and honoured in council by all. We may think of him as a deputation to schools and conferences in different parts of the country. We may think of him as representing the Sunday School Union sometimes amidst foreign scenes upon the continent of Europe; and also, annually, to the joy of his heart, upon the noble platform on which I stand tonight. We may think of him as exemplifying his own teaching as superintendent in the school which so greatly flourished and prospered under his care. We may think of him as writing books himself, or reviewing books written by others. And we may think of him in other spheres of duty, and in every one of them we may think of him as having his whole heart and soul put into his work; he did them all in the divine strength, and so he prospered therein. It was my privilege for many years to know him as a friend, and I deem it one of the happiest things in my past life that I did have that privilege. It was pleasant to think that the vivacity of youth, the vigour of manhood, and the dignity of ripened age seemed blended together in his spirit. His soul was like an orange tree, there was fragrance as well as fruit; there were beautiful buds as well as bright and golden produce; and the more you knew him, the more you felt that the friendship of a man like that was a privilege for which to be thankful. Some of us knew him as the deacon of a Christian church, and we have only to trace the history of that church in Walworth to see that it was blessed in its diaconate as well as in its pastorate; and we know what pastors and members there would tell us with regard to our beloved departed friend, that he used the office of a